About Meliz Laugen


My
Story
Born in Omaha, Nebraska and lived there until I was 5, my family then moved to Oregon and later to Minnesota. I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota and attended my first year and a half of college at Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), and I finished my BFA later at Columbia College in Chicago. I started showing my paintings in Chicago, and then New York, and Los Angeles. I have recently moved back to Omaha and am so excited to show my painting in my home state of Nebraska.
I have been painting since I was 3 years old, when I got a hold of my sister’s paint kit. For me, it was never a thought, it was just part of me, something I did. My work is expressionist, depicting an inner world of emotion in external settings. Ever since I was a student, I’ve been fascinated by taking an ordinary object and painting it into something extraordinary. I have been working on a series of Umbrella paintings that I hope invite the viewer in and add a touch of whimsy and magic to their day.
Having lived in cities for most of my life, my work depicts the emotional turbulence of urban dwelling and uncovering its inherent beauty. Habitat is especially important to me, if it’s raining outside, then it’s raining in my painting. I love to paint snow and storms as well as sun and warmth. I work in both acrylic and oil paint on wooden canvases.